


Lab Rats of S.H.I.E.L.D.

by AchillesMonkey



Series: Fitz and Friends [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Bus Kids - Freeform, Gen, Humor, lab rats, takes place early in season one, with a little bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 07:29:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7565461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AchillesMonkey/pseuds/AchillesMonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Simmons keeps lab rats on board the Bus for experimentation purposes. Fitz and Skye get attached.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lab Rats of S.H.I.E.L.D.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm doing a rewatch of all the episodes before season four (if you're interested in my thoughts, you can read them on [my tumblr](http://www.unlessimwrongwhichyouknowimnot.tumblr.com)) and just finished 1x06, or FZZT, which had Simmons experimenting on lab rats. I was struck with the thought of Fitz and Skye getting attached to the lab rats (because they absolutely would) so I had to write this fic.
> 
> It's mostly humor, but there's a little bit of angst at the end because I don't think it's possible to write an AoS canon compliant fic without angst.

Fitz hums to himself as he chops up carrots, broccoli, apples, and bananas, making sure there is enough to satisfy each of the six lab rats kept on board the Bus. Jemma always insists that all they need to eat is the lab blocks, but he likes to make sure they have something delicious to eat. Life as a lab rat must suck what with being constantly experimented on. It’s the least he can do to make sure they enjoy a little bit of their short lives.

He separates the fruits and vegetables evenly into the six plastic bowls and places them on a tray. He picks the tray up and turns to leave the kitchen, only to be blocked by Skye.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m goin’ to feed the lab rats,” Fitz explains.

“There are lab rats on board?” Skye exclaims, her eyes widening.

“Yeah. Want to see?”

“Yes!”

Fitz leads Skye down the stairs into the lab and over to a door in the back. He opens it to reveal a large metal cage with multiple levels and numerous toys, tubes, and wheels. Only two of the rats are visible, but they squeak excitedly when they catch sight of Fitz (or maybe when they smell the food) and soon more rats appear.

“How many are there?” Skye asks, staring in wonder. She reaches out to put a finger through the bars only to have Fitz smack her hand.

“Don’t! They might bite you. They’re hungry.” He begins putting the bowls of food into the cage. “There are six.”

“Did you name them?”

Fitz scoffs and rolls his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, Skye. Of course I named them.” He starts pointing at the rats. “That’s Mickey, and that’s Minnie, and over there are Pinky and the Brain, and those two are Bernard and Bianca.”

Skye lets out a squeal. “Oh, that’s adorable!”

“Fitz, are you playing with the rats again?” Simmons’ voice calls out from the lab, getting closer until she appears in the doorway. “You know they’re just here for experimentation. You can’t go getting attached.”

“I’m not getting attached, Simmons!” Fitz protests.

“Then you’ll have no trouble handing me number six so I can run a test on him.”

“What sort of test?”

“HQ sent over a sample of a virus they’re having trouble curing. They want to see if I can make anything of it.”

“A virus?” Skye asks. “But won’t that mean that the rat will get infected?”

“Yes, Skye. That’s the whole point of lab rats.”

“What sort of virus?” Fitz demands.

“I don’t know yet, but it’s potentially deadly. Now please, Fitz. Give me number six.”

“But number six is the Brain! You can’t infect the Brain with a potentially deadly virus!”

“Ha!” Simmons smiles triumphantly and points a finger in Fitz’s face. “I knew you were getting attached!”

Fitz groans. “I hate you, Simmons.”

“Wait, so there is no virus from HQ?” Skye asks, looking between the two scientists.

“No,” Simmons tells her, still smirking. “Not yet anyway. But there may be one someday, and I’m going to have to use the lab rats to solve the problem. So that means you can’t go getting attached, all right?”

“Fine,” Fitz mutters as Skye nods.

~*~*~*~

Fitz watches from behind the closed lab door as Simmons brings three of the lab rats out from their main cage and places them in separate glass cages. She’s chosen Bernard, Bianca, and Mickey, or as she refers to them, numbers one, two, and three. He can’t help but wince as she tries the first vaccine on Bernard. The lab rat flashes and then begins floating. Bianca dies similarly.

Fitz takes a deep breath as he picks up Mickey in order to give him the vaccine—er—antiserum. _Zap!_ Nothing happens and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. Then there’s a flash and Mickey starts floating. Fitz stares in horror, and then turns and begins recreating the antiserum. He’ll kill all the lab rats if he has to. No rat is worth more than Simmons’ life.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thank you for reading, commenting, and kudos!


End file.
